Panel for outdoor advertising structures



Apfil 12, 1932. r G. D. OVERHOLTZ 1,853,141

PANEL FOR OUTDOOR ADVERTISING STRUCTURES Filed May 31, 1929 Patented Apr. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE ID. OVERHOLTZ, OFLEETSDALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO RITER-GONLEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA PANELFOR oo'rnoon ADVERTISING STRUCTURES Application filed May 31,

This invention relates to improvements in outdoor advertisingstructures of steel construction, and more particularly to a new and improved panel employed in such struc- 6 tures.

Panels of the character specified, as heretofore constructed, have been the source of considerable trouble and expense, due pri marily to the relatively long rectangular panel structure becoming deformed, due to various causes, thereby making it extremely difiicult and expensive to assemble and/or erect the outdoor advertising structure of which the panels constitute parts.

In such structures, the construction must be of a character that the parts may be readily assembled or erected, as well as easily disassembled or taken down, and the panels thereof should be of a strong and rigid construction to enable themto be properly assembled, and when assembled to withstand the strains to which they are subjected.

The prime object of the present invention is to provide a panel member for use in outdoor advertising structures, of strong and rigid construction, having the sheet metal plate or sheet thereof disposed on the panel frame in such manner as to provide a flat, smooth and even surface for pasting posters thereto.

Other objects and advantages of my i11- vention are, to provide a panel including a steel frame and plate member in combination with reinforcing means cooperating with the frame and plate to effect a strong structure and provide an efficient back-up means for the plate when pressure is applied thereto; to provide a panel construction including a novel reinforcingmember transversely disposed on the frame and having the ends thereof fixedly secured to opposite sidemembers of the frame; and a construction embodying reinforcing means adapted to be applied to the panel after the plate has been placed on and secured to the frame and to effect stretching of the frame and plate.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an application of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, particularly 1929. Serial No. 367,483.

rality of panels constructed in accordance with my invention. 7

Referring to the drawings and as preferred, the panel embodying my invention includes a metallic frame comprising "two structural steel angle members or bars 5'5 constituting the side members of the frame; a top member 6 and a bottom member 7. Both of the said top and bottom members preferably compriseangle bars similar to the side members. These members are connected at their ends by welding and when assembled,

and joined together form a rectangular frame. The side members are formed with bolt openings 8 adapted, when the panels. are assembled on the framework of an outdoor advertising structure, to receive bolts, not shown, for securing adjacent panels together, as shown by Fig. 4;

In addition to the frame, the panel comprises a sheet metal element or plate 9 of generally rectangular shape, having the edge portions thereof slit at the four corners, as at 10, and bent over or around the sides, top and bottom of the frame to form frame member-engaging portions 11, 12 and 13.

An important and characteristic feature of my improved steel panel construction resides in the reinforcing means entering into the panel construction, whereby a. panel possessing the desired strength and rigidity to meet the requirements is provided.

As illustrated and as preferred, these reinforcing means comprise one or more transversely extending bars or members 14, each comprising a centrally disposed longitudinally extending raised or convex curved por-. tion 15, spaced apart flat sheet contacting portions or faces 16, and end portions 17. These bars 14 are of such length that when applied to the frame, the end portions 17 will overlap a face or flange of the respective an- Fig. 2, a sectional viewtaken on. line IIlI gle members 5 constituting the side members of the frame, and come into pressing engagement with the other face of the said angle members, thus stretching the frame and in turn the sheet metal poster-receiving plate, and efiecting a smooth even surface for the reception of the posters. The reinforcing bars also function to back up the plates when pressure is applied during the operation of pasting the posters to the panels. The reinforcing bars 14 are preferably attached to the opposite side members of the frame by welding, as indicated at 18.

I claim:

1. In a panel of the character described including a metallic frame and a sheet metal element having edge portions bent over the members forming the frame, a transversely extending reinforcing bar stretching the frame and sheet welded at its ends to opposite side members of the frame, said bar formed with spaced apart sheet contacting faces adapted to back up the sheet when pressure is applied thereto and with offset end portions for engagement with the side members.

2. In a panel of the character described ineluding a metallic frame having side members formed of angle bars and asheet metal element having edge portions bent over the members forming the frame, a transversely extending reinforcing bar contactingwith the sheet metal element fixedly secured at its ends only to the side angle bars and having ofl'set end portions overlapping faces of the angle bars and its ends pressing against the other faces of said angle bars, said reinforcing bar being of such length to stretch the frame and the sheet metal element.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEO. D. OVERHOLTZ. 

